WWE Royal Rumble 2018 Review

WWE Royal Rumble 2018 28/01/18

Announcers: Tom Phillips, Michael Cole, Corey Graves, 

Byron Saxton, Booker T & Stephanie McMahon.

Venue: Wells Fargo Centre

Location: Philadelphia, PN

WWE Championship 2-on-1 Handicap Match: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn Vs AJ Styles (c).

Not often you see a WWE title match open up a major show but I was pleasantly surprised by how good this match was. Then again considering the calibre of talent in this match, even with the build to this match being so weird, I shouldn't be too surprised! Early part of the match Kami were being heel jerks continually taking in and out before AJ could do anything. Eventually Kami took over and Styles did a great job as he always does selling being beaten down. They did some very creative spots to for AJ to get hs comeback and Owens was also selling his leg injury from the previous Smackdown. And one point AJ gets hit with a superkick from Owens and then a Blue Thunder Bomb from Zayn but manages to kick out barely before the count of 3. That was like 2.99999999! The finish see's AJ roll up Owens for the 3 who was in the ring but replays showed that he didn't actually get tagged in so wasn't the legal man. Another controversial finish between these guys but I expect another match to happen at Fastlane that will put an end to this rivalry once and for all!

Smackdown Tag Team Title 2-out-of-3 Falls Match: The Usos (c) Vs Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin.

Going into this match I was expecting this to be something of a sleeper hit considering the quality of these two teams but It didn't quite hit those heights. This rivalry hasn't seemed to have come anywhere near to matches the quality of the rivalry between The Usos & The New Day. The first fall was pretty decent with Gable & Benjamin working over Jimmy's leg for the bulk of it before Jey got in from the hot tag. Great moonsault from Gable to the outside taking out both Usos who then gets hit with alot of super kicks back in the ring for his troubles which leads to The Usos going up 1-0. Jimmy takes the Team finisher from Gable & Benjamin on the outside leaving Jey alone in the ring. It looks like they are setting him up for something but instead Jimmy cradles Benjamin for the pin and that's it! The Usos win 2-0! That was a surprise and its rare to see someone win a 2-out-of-3 falls match 2-0. This is probably it for this feud and I can see The Usos now moving on to face The Bludgeon Brothers for the titles.

30 Man Royal Rumble Match.

The Royal Rumble match is always one of my most anticipated matches every year and I think this years was one of my all time favourites! It was very well put together with alot of great moments and an outcome which, for the firs time in a while, no one can be disappointed with! I'm not gonna go through everything that happened, I'm just going to pick out my favourite moments. Baron Corbin gets eliminated early on which causes him to take out everyone including Heath Slater who was just on his way out. The next 5 or 6 superstars who come out all take shots at Slater on the outside until Sheamus throws him in for an easy elimination but instead Slater throws him out immediately! NXT Champion Andrade 'Cien' Almas and Adam Cole also from NXT were surprise entrants and both gave a good account for themselves with Almas in particular lasting a good 20+ minutes. The Hurricane made an amusing surprise appearance before being eliminated pretty much immediately by John Cena. Kofi Kingston did another classic Kofi surives elimination spot with the help of his New Day partners and a pile of pancakes. Rey Mysterio made a surprise return getting a massive pop and looking absolutely incredible. This was like 2002 Mysterio! The Final Four was Shinsuke Nakamura, Finn Balor, Roman Reigns and John Cena. Cena eliminated Balor who was the marathon man of this match coming in at no.2 and lasting about 57 minutes. Cena is then eliminated Nakamura making the final two him and Reigns. They have a pretty decent back and forth with Reigns going for the spear but instead eats a savage looking Kinshasaa before being eliminated. Shinsuke Nakamura wins! He was my pick and I was very happy to be right! After the match Renee Young comes in asking who he wants to face at Wrestlemania and he says who we all want him to say..A...J....STYLES!! Ooooh Yeah!!

 

Raw Tag Team Title Match: Seth Rollins & Jason Jordan (c) Vs Sheamus & Cesaro.

After that incredible Rumble match it was always going to be tough to follow and the crowd was pretty dead for what was essentially a handicap match. Coming into this match there were reports that Jordan was dealing with a legit injury and they wrote him off for the majority of this match by having Cesaro shove his head into the ring post. Rollins was in the ring taking all the beating from The Bar and when Jordan finally managed to get back on the apron he tagged himself in only to almost immediately tag back out because he was so woozy. In the end Rollins goes for Curb Stomp on Cesaro before taking a Brogue Kick and then a double team white noise for the pin. The Bar are new champions and are now 4 time champions. Interesting to see what happens next between Rollins & Jordan but I think Rollins is done now with the tag division. Not sure who will face The Bar next could be The Club as they are working face these days.

WWE Universal Championship Match: Brock Lesnar (c) Vs Kane Vs Braun Strowman.

I imagined this match was going to be very physical and chaotic which it was but I just felt like the match lacked any investment because the outcome was really obvious. Early on Strowman hit a really vicious knee on Brock which Lesnar responded with very stiff punches and swearing at him. Apparently he said slow the fuck down! Everyone went through a table at some point and took chair shots but ultimately the crowd just wasn't into it. The end was exactly as predicted as Brock F5s Kane for the win. This was the outcome predicted from the moment the match was announced and its been rumoured that it will be Lesnar Vs Reigns for the title at Wrestlemania so we are still on course for that.

 

 

30 Woman Royal Rumble Match.

MAIN EVENT TIME!! It's the historic first ever Women's Royal Rumble and this is the first Women's match to main event a big four PPV. It was the right move to make a match of such importance and I think it delivered and then some. When it was announced that the match would feature 30 Women we knew there was going to be a slew of surprise entrants and we got some fantastic ones as well as a few I wasn't too fussed about. Only two from NXT which were Mae Young Classic Winner Kari Sane and NXT Women's Champion Ember Moon. Lita was an absolute delight and delivered a perfect Lita-Sault on Sasha Banks & Becky Lynch which looked as good as ever. Michelle McCool had a really impressive display eliminating a number of women and looking like she had never left. Vickie Guerrero was an amusing entrant shouting EXCUSE ME at everyone in the ring before being eliminated. Naomi got the Kofi Kingston spot of the match as she was thrown out of the ring by Nia Jax but landed on the barrier and made her way back to the ring via a chair. The Bella Twins made their return and looked impressive and totally ready to back working regularly. Trish Stratus was no.30 and looked and moved around the ring like she did back at her peak! Several women teamed up to eliminate Nia Jax making her look super strong. The final four was Sasha Banks, Asuka, Brie & Nikki Bella. Banks is eliminated by The Bella's with Banks lasting the longest coming in at no.1 and lasting 54 minutes. Hell of a performance! The Bella Twins double team Asuka until Nikki swerves Brie and eliminates her proving its every woman for herself. The final two is Asuka & Nikki Bella who battle on the apron until Asuka kicks Nikki in the knee knocking her out. Asuka is the winner of the match and was the right woman to win. After the match Raw Women's Champion Alexa Bliss & Smackdown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair are in the ring wanting to get an answer form Asuka on who she wants to face at Wrestlemania. Suddenly 'Bad Reputation' by Joan Jett hits and the crowd goes wild because its RONDA FREAKIN ROUSEY!! HOLY SHIT!! Ronda gets in the ring and gets in every ones faces pointing at the Wrestlemania sign saying she will be there. She tries to shake hands with Asuka but Asuka wants none of it. I think most likely Ronda will face Charlotte or Stephanie McMahon at Wrestlemania who she sort of shook hands with at ringside and Asuka will go after Alexa Bliss and the Raw Women's title at Wrestlemania.

 

And that was WWE Royal Rumble 2018! A pretty fun show with two really good Rumble matches which both stand as some of my all time favourites. Let me know in the comments what you guys thought. THANK YOU ALL FOR READING!!